Morning journal and courier., 1887-03-24

overheard if he didn't join in. He Joined
| On the upper deck was the venerable As
sistant Pastor Halliday telling a funny story
"About thirty years ago a Congressman
from the North was standing in front of
| Washington hotel conversing with q south
ern representative. The southerner saw
drove of mules coming down the avenue
| and turning to the northern man remarked
| Here come some of your constituents.
| Yes replied the northern Congressman
they are going South as school-teachers.' ."
| At Peekskill wharf the voyagers by boat
| found three or four hundred friends await
| ing them who had journeyed by rail, and b,
noon some one thousand persons made the
advance on crest Hill" We carried heavy
lunch baskets. One man in the thr, ng,
Henry B. Clafin, carried check for one
hundred thousand dollars.
The surprise party was in charge of Dea
con John T. Howard Joe Howard's father
He had planned to GO through the farm
''cross lots," SO as to make the surprise com.
plete. So through the stubble meadow we
plodded and across the garden where large
detachment of men were at work.
"Theres where Mr.. Beecher's salary goes
to" said Pastor Halliday. "I'll bet every
onion he raises costs him twenty-five cents. y
At last halt was softly called Advan-
eing and peering through the shrubbery,
Deacon Howard soon gave the signal-a
shrill whistle-and the regiment, one thou
sand strong, darted through the bushes out
on to the green sward at the side of the co.,
tsge.
IsThere he isl"
The great preacher was sitting ON the
ground in the shade of one of his ten thou
sand dollar naples. He wore a short, black
alpaca coat and a broad -brimmed straw hat
When Deacon Howard called" Mr.. Beecher
turned. His surprise was complete. With
mock solemnity he asked:
"What does this means"
cit means business" )" replied Deacon How
ard.
'sIt MEANS" said Mr.. Clafin, handing the
Plymouth pastor the check, f'that we have
one hundred thousand reasons for paying
you little VISIT
Mr.. Beecher looked at the check, and turn
ing to Mrs. Beecher, who was approaching
from the porch, remarked: "Nother, see
here. want you to take this and put it on
the top shelf in your best china closet-bet-
ter hide it in the sugar bowl"
A thousand persons shook hands with the
owner of Crest HILL" For each he had an
original salutation and welcome. He told
them to go into the house and make them
selves at home; he assured them that the
cottage was made of india rubber and able
to Withstand any tension. 1t was very
warm day. For the feshy ones who had
climbed the hill Mr.. Beecher had words of
comfort. The thin man was urged to look
at the thermometer if he wanted q warmer
welcome. When the last hand had been
grasped Mr.. Beecher mounted the piazza, and
removing his straw hat, made his visitors
one of the most comical addresses l ever
listened to. He began: ''Never in all my
experience have I heard of poor mans fam
lily increasing as rapidly as mine has," His
humor was spontaneous; his personal hits
were of the happiest kind, for Mr.. Beecher
was in superb spirits that day.
toll he
children, talked business with the fathers,
an army of ladies for an inspection of the
Crest Hill" clematis.
F'Do you like clematis, ladies!"
eve do, we do.''
s'Well, have some am proud of" lead
ing the way around to the side porch, where
the fair visitors agreed his pride was justifa-
BILE.
choir under the shade of the naples and the
rich strains of Beecher were heard. Miss
Emma Thursby and Miss Lasar sang, and
then choir of boys warbled madrigals IN
der the naples.
We had picnic dinner on the lawn, and
while we feasted Mr.. Beecher moved among
the groups, telling of "a wonderful red
spring" down behind clump of bushes.
Soon there was rush down the gravelled
hind friendly bush, each found goblet of
ice cold claret punch.
THE coloring of that punch" as Mr..
Beecher subsequently explained, "was made
from grapes grown on my farm.
That was to me q never-to be-forgotten
day. Mr.. Beecher needed that one hundred
thousand dollars. Every dollar of it went
him you would suppose he was the happiest
man in Christendom